Voters elect Letlow, pass Delhi schools bond issue

Richland Parish voters helped elect Luke Letlow as their new congressman and passed a school bond issue in Delhi during Saturday’s election.

In the race for U.S. Representative, 5th Congressional District, Letlow defeated Lance Harris by 62 percent with 49,182 votes to Harris’ 30,124. In Richland Parish, Letlow won by 75.2 percent with 3,022 votes to Harris’ 995.

“I want to offer a sincere thank you to my supporters and the voters from every corner of the 5th District who came out and voted in this election,” Letlow said. “I also want to thank retiring Congressman Ralph Abraham, for his trust in me to continue serving this district, and Congressman Garret Graves who I view as a mentor and friend. I look forward to working with all of Louisiana’s Congressional Delegation as we work together on behalf of all Louisianians. I ran for Congress because I know firsthand what our needs are, and because I will serve this district to get real results for our constituents. I’m ready to get to work, and I am focused on bringing jobs, investment and opportunity to our district. Each and every person across our rural landscape, whether it’s Bastrop, Bunkie, Bogalusa, or all the places in between, has my word that I will never stop fighting to move Louisiana’s 5th District forward.”

The Delhi School District’s $12 million bond issue passed by 57 percent with 951 people voting for it and 712 against it.

Monies generated from the bonds will support facility and building improvements at Delhi Elementary School, Delhi Middle School and Delhi High School.

The proposition would allow Richland Parish School District No. 1 to incur debt and issue bonds to the amount of not exceeding $12 million for up to 10 years  with at interest at a rate not exceeding 8 percent.

The bonds will be used for the purpose of acquiring and/or improving lands for building sites and playgrounds, including construction of necessary sidewalks and streets adjacent thereto; purchasing, erecting and/or improving school buildings and other school related facilities within and for the district and acquiring the necessary equipment and furnishings.

Also on Saturday, Henry Herford Jr., was elected as 32nd Senatorial District, Division B Republican State Central Committee member by 52.6 percent with 30 votes to Frank Black’s 27.

Also, Constitutional Amendment No. 1 to allow an out-of-state resident to serve on a public postsecondary education board of supervisors failed by 76.4 percent with 385,656 votes against it and 118,651 for it.

In Richland Parish, the measure failed by 80.7 percent with 3,277 people against it and 781 people for it.